NLC to partner MINILS over industrial struggles

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is to partner Michael Imoudu Centre for Labour Studies (MINILS) Ilorin, Kwara state to produce vibrant labour leaders that would continue industrial struggle locally and internationally.

President of the congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba dropped the hint during a visit by the management and board members of the Institute to the Labour House in Abuja.

The NLC boss stressed the need for urgent and conscious efforts to resuscitate the MINILS in line with the emerging trends in labour struggles globally.

Wabba said  he was pleased that the management of the Institute came with open doors for partnership, describing such move as a welcome development.

According to him, Labour creates wealth of the nation, hence cannot afford to be relegated to the background by powers that be. 

He listed the  areas of possible partnership to include  broadening social, economic research and documentation, appraise contemporary challenges facing unionism and bridge skill gaps in the youth population. 

Also speaking, former General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and board chairman of MINILS, Chief Frank Kokori, lamented that many Nigerians were unfortunate to be born in the country.

Recalling how he was incarcerated in prison for four years during his days of industrial struggles for better welfare of workers in the country, said if Nigeria were to be a sane country, he (Kokori) wouldn’t have been so locked in prison without help coming his way.

“All my life have been spent on industrial struggles but some of us are born in a wrong country which is Nigeria,” he lamented.

Kokori added that the  visit was part of measures to explore possible ways of revamping the Labour Institute which had been left comatose for several years. 

In his remarks, MINILS Director General Issa Aremu said prominent leaders of the labour movement, including board members cutting across all fields of endeavours, would be drafted as resource persons to impact knowledge when the centre comes on stream once more.